On the eve of the UN Secretary-General's visit to Sudan, the United Nations World Food Programme said it was scaling up its operations to meet the massive challenge of getting enough food into the Darfur region of western Sudan to feed people uprooted from their homes by conflict.

In June, WFP expects to feed 700,000 people, with the number increasing by the week as more camps should become accessible to humanitarian organisations operating in the region.

The arrival of the rains has started to cause severe problems for transporters and there are already reports of trucks loaded with WFP food struggling to cross wadis (rivers) that flash-flood during heavy rainfall. As much food as possible is currently being airlifted into Darfur and food air-drops are planned for those communities that will be cut off by the rains, particularly in the west.

Despite the extreme urgency of providing for the basic needs of those suffering in Darfur, WFP remains seriously under-resourced, having received only 32 percent of the funding necessary for its work in Darfur until the end of the year. The current shortfall is over US$130 million.

Media Brief

SUDAN - Darfur

Cause:Civil war

Number of beneficiaries:1.2 million (2 million from October 2004)

Total cost:US$ 195,300,716

Confirmed contributions:US$ 61,876,364

Current estimated shortfall:68 percent

Timeline:1st April 2004 - 31st December 2004

1. Western Sudan's North, South and West Darfur states (roughly the size of France) - is facing 'the worst humanitarian crisis in the world' - according to the UN.

2. At least one million people have been displaced as a result of conflict between the Sudanese Government and rebel forces (SLM/A - Sudan Liberation Movement/Army and JEM - Justice and Equality Movement).

3. The conflict began in February 2003 and although a ceasefire came into effect on April 8 this year, attacks from armed militias are still being reported. At least 180,000 people have fled across the border into Chad.

4. WFP estimates 1.2 million people will need food aid each month until October, when a total of 2 million people will be targeted until December. This is to include those families who will become impoverished due to the likelihood of a failed harvest and rising food prices, even though they are not displaced. WFP has been providing assistance to victims of the crisis since August 2003.

5. WFP is in the process of dramatically scaling up its capacity in Darfur in response to the massive needs of the displaced population and those affected by the conflict in the region. Staff numbers in Darfur have more than doubled to over 125 since the end of March and will at least double again over the next month.

6. However, a substantial increase in available resources is still required for WFP to meet its targets in Darfur. To date, WFP has received US$61,876,364 out of the US$195,300,716 required for its emergency operation in Darfur this year, a shortfall of 68 percent.

7. The arrival of the rainy season has already started to impact negatively on WFP's ability to deliver food by road, especially in West Darfur. Swollen wadis (rivers) have caused major problems for truck transporters since the end of last week and will continue to affect access for several weeks. Health conditions will also deteriorate during the rains as water-borne diseases such as typhoid, cholera and dysentery as well as malaria become major threats.

8. Limited access and insecurity have been major obstacles to providing humanitarian assistance. A total of 34,925MT of food has been distributed in Darfur since the start of the year. WFP expects to reach 700,000 people in the month of June.

9. Pre-positioning of food in Darfur continues with over 10,000 MT delivered in June and over 17,000 MT in transit.

10. In July, WFP will be moving 18,000 MT of food into Darfur. 7 - 8,000 MT by air, the same again by road and the balance by rail into Nyala. To give some perspective, that total equates to nearly three football fields, piled 7 to 8 metres high with food.

11. To ensure continued assistance through the rains, WFP has been augmenting its road transport capacity with an additional 50 trucks recently contracted to deliver WFP supplies. Currently a fleet of 230 on-road trucks, 370 off-road trucks and 275 rail wagons are transporting food daily into Darfur. This is still short of requirements and WFP is in consultations with the government of Sudan over the possibility of using trucks from countries in the region.

12. On average, a truck loaded with food takes three weeks to reach destinations in Darfur from Port Sudan.

13. 25 specially equipped all-terrain trucks and trailers from the Netherlands will be in Darfur by July 23 to enhance operations in areas worst affected by the rains.

14. Food is being airlifted when necessary to fill delivery gaps caused by capacity or security problems. WFP currently has two Ilyushins and an Antonov dedicated to delivering food to Darfur - a third Ilyushin is expected to arrive in Khartoum on July 3rd to reinforce the operation. Most airlifts are done from El Obeid, from where Nyala and El Fasher can be accessed three times/day and Geneina two times/day. Two commercial planes have also now been contracted to transport WFP food.

15. Break in pipeline of micronutrient-rich corn/soya blend (CSB) is being countered with an airlift of 2000 MT of CSB from Addis Ababa, starting on June 30.

16. WFP is preparing to airdrop food to areas that cannot be reached by road either due to the rainy season or to insecurity. Seventeen staff have been trained for handling air-drops and are training their own teams and scouting for suitable drop-zones, as well as supplying coordinates. A helicopter has also been contracted to ferry staff into drop-zones. All IDP settlements in Darfur are being targeted as possible recipients of air-drops.

17. Nyala airport is being targeted as a forward base for air-drops as this would allow substantially more rotations per day. Food supplies are being pre-positioned at Nyala in anticipation of this. However, fuel supplies are not currently guaranteed at Nyala. This may hinder plans to operate air-drops from within Darfur itself.

18. WFP is opening new field offices and storage facilities in 10 towns across Darfur within the next two weeks. Most will be equipped with semi-permanent Rubbhall warehouses. 44 new fully-equipped 4x4 vehicles are also on their way to Darfur to facilitate operations from all offices.

19. There are 137 IDP camps in Darfur of which WFP has access to 103 and has verified and registered 84. A combination of insecurity, bureaucratic and logistical problems have delayed procedures for verification. However, WFP plans on accelerating the verification and registration process for the remaining 19 accessible camps. A complication is that rebel groups are now demanding recognition, setting up checkpoints on some main roads and scaring truck drivers. This causes further delays and jeopardizes the smooth running of the food pre- positioning operation.

20. WFP assessment teams are updating needs and priority areas. A survey by MSF France in Mornei, West Darfur, showed that one in five children in the camp were severely malnourished. Action Contre la Faim conducted nutrition surveys in Abu Shouk camp in El Fasher, capital of North Darfur, which indicate an alarmingly high rate of malnutrition, particularly among the under five year olds. Another nutrition survey, carried out in Malha, North Darfur, by Save the Children-UK has confirmed very alarming malnutrition levels in the area. One course of action currently being considered by WFP and other humanitarian agencies in Darfur is a blanket distribution of supplementary food to children in the worst affected areas.

21. A recent WFP assessment in West Darfur - normally a region of high agriculture production - confirmed that people were not working the land as usual at this time of year, suggesting a minimal harvest in November. Many villages have been destroyed; people have fled either to Chad or to urban areas where they depend on support from local communities to survive. Food in the markets is scarce and very expensive - prices are 100% higher than at the same time last year.

22. Low agricultural production and increased food prices mean the humanitarian crisis is likely to be prolonged, with a need for food aid expected for at least 18 months.